


Drown It All Out

by Devisama, yes_but_am_i_a_pretty_lady



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 221b format, Angst, Drinking, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-02-27 13:38:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2695016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devisama/pseuds/Devisama, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yes_but_am_i_a_pretty_lady/pseuds/yes_but_am_i_a_pretty_lady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock's a lightweight. However, after John's multiple girlfriends, that changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so! myc and i kinda started this on one of my old headcanons. it'll be super short chapters, switching authors every chapter. i have NO idea where we're going with this one but stick around and you'll see! -kip

a lazy day in 221B where they dont have a case but sherlock isnt bored. oh no. he has john to keep him occupied. sherlock has decided to decipher john's means, motive and opportunity for every action he takes. john, of course, notices that sherlock is behaving strangely, but doesnt say a thing. sherlock ends up pining after john the whole day, and when john goes out for a drink with lestrade and mike later, sherlock decides to drown his pain in liquor.


	2. Chapter 2

Being a lightweight , it takes only one full glass of whiskey to render Sherlock unconscious. Upon arriving home,John finds him slumped uncomfortably in John's own chair, the empty tumbler glass on it's side directly under Sherlock's outstretched hand . He looks at him wondering what could have brought this on and as carefully as he can, carries Sherlock to his bed and tucks him in. When morning comes, Sherlock recalls none of it but deduces what happened and John doesnt bring it up to his relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (this one was written by devisama not me) -kip
> 
> Finally got around to editing this and adding a bit to it. - D


	3. Chapter 3

the next time they have a lazy day, even with the memories of weeping, Sherlock can't help but stare at his beautiful flatmate. because that's what he is- beautiful. long blonde lashes, sparkling eyes, a mouth constantly quirking at Sherlock's comments- not only beautiful but a nice boost to his ego. so when John says that he has a date, Sherlock sighs, but nods. as soon as it's apparent that John won't be coming back, Sherlock takes the whole bottle and sits down on the couch. he drinks and drinks, more and more, until he can't even lift the cap. he falls asleep, curled up, whispering John's name.


	4. Sherlock

Darkness. Pain surrounds him. Why can't he open his eyes? As soon as the thought occurs, there is light. Sherlock looks around and he finds himself standing in a desert. Nothing looks familiar but he knows this place. Sherlock turns around and begins to walk seemingly in a random direction; as if he is being pulled by an invisible force. He feels the pulling force in his chest start to tighten and his head is buzzing. The path ahead of him is growing more chaotic and dark. Before he knows it, Sherlock is engulfed in the whirling sandstorm. The buzzing in his head grows louder and Sherlock stumbles and falls to his knees. He feels weightless but his head feels heavy. Through the increasing noise in his head, he can also feel an increasing pressure and it is then that Sherlock **_KNOWS_** his head is beginning to split and crack open. Eyes slam shut, excruciating pain causes tears to flow freely and through it all, he hears an impossibly soft sound. _"She....erl...."_ It whispers out to him. He knows that sound, knows who exactly is calling out to him. _"Sherlock..."_ He doubles over, clutching at his chest; he is screaming but no sound comes out. _"Please.... Sherlock...wake up!"_ As his world shatters, Sherlock opens his eyes, light breaks through and blossoms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry this took so long *sweat* I decided to challenge myself with this and write all my chapters from here on out in 221b format. I hope I don't disappoint! Please enjoy! :3 - D


	5. Chapter 5

John leans against the wall across from Sherlock's room in the hospital. "Well?" he snaps as soon as the doctor comes out, standing straight up and tensing.

 

"Alcohol poisoning, just as you thought," he replies calmly. "He'll be fine in a couple of hours."

 

John sighs and rubs his temple. "Right. Thank you." He leans back against the wall, his shoulders still tense and his brow furrowed.

 

"John."

 

He looks up, and isn't at all surprised to find Mycroft Holmes there. "Mycroft," he replies in greeting.

 

He smiles an oily grin and taps his umbrella against the floor. "I can see you've been here for a couple of hours."

 

A dry laugh. "Yeah, that sounds right. I'm just trying to wrap my head around why. But who knows why Sherlock does anything, really?"

 

Mycroft looks at John with pursed lips and raised eyebrows. "Indeed."

 

John sighs and purses his lips. "Do you know something I don't, Mycroft?"

 

Mycroft smiles reptilian-like. "Possibly," he answers, almost seductive. "It could be that you already know. I won't be telling you. This is one secret you will have to figure out by yourself." He walks towards the door, swinging his umbrella. Suddenly, he turns back towards John. "John." John raises his eyebrows and Mycroft smiles. "I look forward to the day you do." Mycroft then sashays out the door, an air of smugness following him like a black cloud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so. this happened. IM SORRY MYC IDK WHERE TO GO AND MYCROFT WAS A SAFE OPTION (/ ´△｀)/ and so i had to have help describing mycroft's smile, yknow the :> one he does? yeah. god i love him.  
> SO thats all and im sorry and help betaing will be much appreciated. ps i know nothing about alcohol poisoning?? so help with that too. OH and its in the present tense. which SUCKS ASS. so. any help really any at all


	6. John

It was happening all over again. The late nights of drinking until oblivion. Refusing to talk about it even when John gave them space and the only thing that would emerge were false reassurances and sickness. He knew all too well something was not right and once again, he felt as helpless as ever. Was he cursed? No. Wrong, that very wrong because this isn't about him. He was not the one with the problem.

John was quite familiar with this already; a veteran of many different battlefields in life. His sister, his mother and now...for some reason, Sherlock was taking the same path.

John knew Sherlock needed help now. 

No more waiting for him to make the first move. Thinking on it, Sherlock to make the first move? He truly was idiotic to _think_ Sherlock would let anyone know about any weaknesses he would have. Christ, he should have known. Sherlock and addictions go well hand in hand. 

Mycroft's words echoed back. He knew exactly what was wrong with his brother and being the cold person he was, left John to puzzle over it. As if he could possibly pull the answers from thin air like a Holmes. John would do everything in his power to help. He wasn't here to play games with Sherlock's health. Unlike Mycroft. The **utter** bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> John my poor babe WOULD have experience with this and it makes me sad. I included Johns mother because in the Sherlock Chronicles book, we learn that John's mother is dead. Any errors found in this chapter are all mine but I hope you enjoy this anyway! :3 - D


	7. Chapter 7

"Molly, I need a body."

 

Molly looked up from her microscope and smiled. "Hi, Sherlock," she said brightly. "I'll get one right away." She stood up and walked out briskly, grabbing a clipboard, lab coat trailing behind her. Sherlock followed her out of the lab a few steps behind her. "So, how're things?" Molly asked, turning to Sherlock.

 

Sherlock snarled, "Don't make small talk, Molly, it doesn't suit you." Molly nodded. Typical. But anything to please Sherlock, really. That's how she went about it. No use trying to fight. She looked at Sherlock again and her eyes narrowed at what she saw. He had beads of sweat at his forehead, and he was definitely paler than his usual cream colour.

 

She cocked her head. "Sherlock, are you... are you feeling alright? I mean, you look a little pale and you're sweating, I was just wondering whether everything was okay-" Sherlock gave her a silencing glare and she shut up immediately. They turned left, into the morgue, and Molly pulled at a drawer. "Recently deceased, male victim, in his-"

 

"I'd prefer it if you didn't tell me any information and you stayed quiet." Molly raised her eyebrows but shut up. She picked out another body and laid it on the table for Sherlock to examine. She then went and leaned against the wall by the door.

 

Sherlock took out his magnifying glass and started to examine the body. He was silent, but Molly could see his lips moving. He looked closely at everything he could for about five minutes and then stood up sharply and snapped his magnifying glass shut. "Tell me everything you can about this body."

 

Molly started. "Ah, well, he's a male, in his thirties, killed about a week ago-"

 

"A week ago? You're sure?" Sherlock sounded concerned.

 

Molly looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Yes, we're sure. He was killed about a week ago, found in an alleyway. He was poisoned. He-"

 

"Poisoned?"

 

Molly looked at him. "Yes, poisoned. If you look at the skin, you can see that it's slightly discoloured. It has an almost green tinge to it."

 

Sherlock cocked his head and frowned. "I thought that was a sign of a liver problem."

 

Molly shook her head. "Sherlock, that's when your skin is yellow. That's called jaundice."

 

Sherlock thought for a moment, then gave a quiet little "ohh". "That's right, it's yellow. I had forgotten," he said, waving his hand. "Carry on."

 

Molly froze. Sherlock had  _forgotten_  something? He never forgot  _anything_. Much less something as basic as  _the symptoms of liver problems_. There was something wrong. There had to be something wrong. She looked at him more closely. His hand was shaking, very slightly, as he held his magnifying glass in his hand. His face was pale with a light coating of sweat. Molly took two swift steps and sniffed.

 

"Molly, what are you-"

 

She stepped back with an extremely angry look on her face. "Sherlock Holmes,  _when_  did you start drinking?"

 

Sherlock opened his mouth in shock. "I don't- Molly, it's not-"

 

She slammed the clipboard hard down onto the table. "Yes, it's an issue," she growled, finger pointing into his chest. "If I can smell it on your breath and see it on your face then yes, of course it's an issue. How  _dare_  you do this?" she asked, fighting the urge to slap him. " She exhaled through her teeth, trying to keep calm. She let her hand drop. "Why did you even start? What would make you abandon your friends, your gifts for  _alcohol_ , Sherlock?" she asked a bit softer.

 

Sherlock bit his lip and stared into Molly's eyes. He drew in a shaky breath and exhaled, closing his eyes. He stayed that way for a few tense moments before tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. "John," he whispered softly, tenderly, afraid. "I- I'm sorry, Molly, I am. Please," he said, tears now running down his cheeks. "Forgive me."

 

Molly opened her mouth, then closed it again in shock. Of course, she knew, she knew he loved John, she  _knew_ , but she wasn't prepared to hear it be the cause of his drinking. She sighed. "You have to tell him. And you  _must_  stop drinking."

 

Sherlock shook his head, eyes still closed. "I can't," he whispered. "I can't."

 

"I'm not doing it for you. Let's address the drinking first, yeah?" she said softly, placing a guiding hand on his arm. Sherlock nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omfg im so glad we're continuing with this because HONESTLY it's SO good. or at least i think so.  
> this one's my chapter, thanks to my co-author myc for the beta~  
> ((im so glad we did something with molly i love her omg))


End file.
